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"We left from Restelo one Saturday, the 8th day of July, on our journey. May God our Lord allow us to complete it in His service."

— Vasco da Gama

We Left From Restelo One Saturday

We left from Restelo one Saturday, the 8th day of July, on our journey. May God our Lord allow us to complete it in His service.

— Vasco da Gama
beginning exploration faith

About this quote

This passage comes from the Roteiro (Journal of the First Voyage), recording Vasco da Gama's departure from Restelo (near Lisbon) on July 8, 1497. The fleet carried provisions for three years, stone pillars (padrões) inscribed with the Portuguese royal arms to plant at newly claimed territories, and interpreters who spoke Arabic and Bantu languages. The voyage south along Africa's Atlantic coast, around the Cape of Good Hope, and up the east coast to India covered roughly 24,000 nautical miles and took about ten months to reach Calicut (now Kozhikode), where da Gama anchored on May 20, 1498.

Source

Journal of the First Voyage, 1497

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